Amp simulator pedal with a combo amp. In front, or effects loop?

So I recently received a Joyo American Sound amp sim pedal and I put it between the guitar and the front of the amp. It sounded pretty cool. Like using a regular pedal, eq knobs on the pedal changed the sound as did the amp eq controls. I’d read about hooking the pedal straight into the return jack of the effects loop. In other words. Guitar-pedal-return jack. So I tried it and had my amp volume controls all the way off and that sucker made a hella noise anyway when I engaged it. Ended up loving it, but was surprised that the amp controls were rendered useless. Everything was controlled by the pedal and the guitar. I’m a newbie to these amp simulator boxes and I’m not the brightest bulb in the room anyway. Does what I described sound right?

This variety of uses is really the big advantage of the Joyo's (or the original design: Tech21 character series), they work like a common dirtpedal in front of the amp, directly to mixing-desk or as a separate preamp. Tried the latter as well with a small loop-switcher with my AC Tone and the Tech21 Blonde. I have a different pedalboard now, but I still use the Joyo from time to time on a session board.